


& the moon is the only light we'll see

by nobetterlove



Series: Five Times... [1]
Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV), Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
Genre: AU, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Five Times series, Friends to Lovers, M/M, it's kind of gross, these two are so cute, time jumps, tw: fluff, young! tony & clay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 19:50:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20431508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobetterlove/pseuds/nobetterlove
Summary: This is the first part of my new "five times" series. I got the inspiration from this thinking about an AU world where Tony and Clay grew up together in all ways possible. These are fun, so I'll randomly update this with all of the different things I've got cooking up.I'll call this one - four times Tony changes Clay's life and the one time they change their life together.A lot of cuteness ensues!





	& the moon is the only light we'll see

**Author's Note:**

> Howdy, everyone! I've been in such a writing mood - & these two are so much fun. This little bunny got into my head last night thinking about these two growing up in all senses of the word. I've already got two more drafted out, so we'll see some more fun ones in the near future. Can you guys guess how this ones going to round itself out? I hope you guys appreciate where I went with it. Hoping you enjoy! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

i.

The first time Tony changes Clay’s life, the boy isn’t aware of it. At the tender age of four, Clay only thought about Dr. Seuss and his He-Man action figure. During a day playing with said action figure, Clay was swept up by his mother, the woman babbling on about a place called “school”. When he found out what that actually meant, Clay didn’t really understand what it would be like – until he arrived. It turned out that Clay was a lot younger than all the rest of his kindergarten classmates. Several weeks after learning about school, he’d been tested by a woman that looked like his mom, but in fact smelt like coffee instead of vanilla like he was used to. He’d played with blocks, talked through different fun scenarios, and pointed to lots of different things when asked. Without a clue of what any of it meant, Clay scored off the charts and was immediately put into kindergarten, despite his young age. 

It didn’t take long for Clay to realize that being younger and smaller than the rest of the kids around him wasn’t a good thing. He’d been called a baby so many times, he spent most of their free time isolated under the trees surrounding their playground, instead of on the swings with everyone else. Without an idea of what it all meant, or how to fix it, Clay stayed by himself most of the time. When his mom asked, he simply said the day was fun and he was learning lots of new things. Which – he totally was! Clay loved being able to color with crayons most of the day. As they moved through the alphabet and into numbers, Clay enjoyed the school thing a whole lot more. Despite not having any friends, the young boy knew his stuff and loved gaining knowledge. He hoped he’d soon be able to read ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ all by himself. 

About halfway through the year, Clay was playing by himself at the edge of the sandbox, He-Man sailing through the air as quickly away from Skeletor as he could go, when the toy’s path was stopped by someone’s hand. The action figure was ripped from his tiny fingers, Clay looking up frantically, trying to understand what was happening. Johnny, one of the bigger kids in class, stood above him, his fist smashing He-Man’s limbs into a weird position. “Hey freak – “ the kid started, squeezing He-Man in his fist harder. “What is this, a doll?” At the question, Clay looked around again – he could feel the need to blurt out all the tiny details of his favorite cartoon, how He-Man was a master of the universe and if he didn’t get to safety soon, the whole dimension would be in danger. He wanted so badly to pull the toy back, Clay only happy when He-Man was in his vicinity. Instead of either of those things, he simply stared at the kid, his eyes watering as the seconds passed. 

A moment later, Clay was no longer looking at Johnny – another one of the bigger kids in their class having pushed him into the sand beneath them. Blue eyes looked over; his head muddled with all the different things happening around him. Without any control of it, Clay started to cry – fat tears streaming down his cheeks as he silently watched the exchange. “Leave him alone. That’s He-Man and he’s cool. Cooler than you, anyway,” Clay heard the newcomer say, his high-pitched voice eerily threatening. “Don’t mess with him, okay? Go get your butt kicked in four square, or something.” After that, Clay stopped listening, his tiny fists balling together – each one coming up to his eyes to try and rid himself of the traitorous tears. Someone knew the in’s and out’s of He-Man – a feat that he thought he was totally alone in. This person was standing up for him, the last thing he wanted to be doing was crying when he finally met whoever it was. He sniffled loudly, his fists rubbing against his eyes hard a couple times more before he dropped them – little hands running down his jeans to try and wipe them clean. 

Still sniffling, Clay sat a little straighter when his mysterious savior made his way over. The kid was quite a bit bigger than Clay, but had a soft and open face. His brown eyes looked like the Hershey’s bar he’d eaten at the latest Disney premier and immediately made him feel safe. A tanned hand reached out, Clay’s beloved He-Man action figure lying on his palm. “Here, I got this back for you,” the boy said, dropping the toy into Clay’s anxiously waiting hand. Without another thought, Clay brought it in close his chest, both arms wrapping around it possessively. “Thank you,” Clay mumbled softly, his eyes looking down at the ground – the stranger wore tie up shoes, an act Clay had yet to accomplish. 

The two were silent for a second, icy blue eyes finally looking up to take in the kid before him. “I’m Clay – do you like He-Man?” he finally spoke, relaxing the grip around his toy to show the other kid – like he hadn’t just given it back to him a minute before. The bigger kid smiled and nodded his head. “I love He-Man. Skeletor is the best villain. My older brothers have let me watch their video tapes – it’s so awesome,” the little stranger replied, moving to take a seat next to Clay on the sand. “I’m Tony,” the other spoke again, his little hand shooting out into the space between them. Clay saw his dad do this enough with his grandpa to know that Tony was trying to shake his hand. His own hand clasped the other, a smile slipping onto his lips – “Nice to meet you, Tony.” 

From that point on, Tony and Clay were pretty inseparable. It turned out that Tony was the exact opposite of Clay. He’d been held back, unable to start because of his birthday being so late in the year – so he was a whole year older than everyone else. The two were able to bond over being different from the other kids, and of course He-Man. As their friendship grew, Tony had Clay over to his house frequently to watch his brothers' tapes. Clay found out that Tony loved to play with a Skeletor action figure, so he could actually have battles – instead of making them up himself. When his mom asked him about school after that, all things were about his and Tony’s epic adventure for the day. His smile was genuine because for the first time, he actually had a friend. 

ii. 

The second time Tony changes Clay’s life, they are 11 and 13, each trying to navigate the inevitable transition into middle school. Each boy looked a little bit differently than they did in kindergarten. Clay, having shot up the year prior, was all limbs. Despite spending his entire summer at The Padilla’s, enjoying their pool and playing with water guns, Clay’s skin was still pale – even though he’d gotten burnt more times than he could count. Tony, now with longer hair that he liked to use raspberry gel to tame, joked that he was still the same height as his kindergarten self. He wore black jeans instead of the blue ones like Clay and had boots that took him ten minutes to tie up. They were slowly growing up, both eager to see what the next part of their “grown up” lives were going to be like.

Standing in front of the mirror, his hands pulling at the button-down shirt, Clay shook his head. They were trying to style their outfits for the next day and nothing he put on looked right. “Why does this even matter, Ton? I’m going to wear jeans and a hoodie every day, anyway.” Clay’s voice bordered on sounding whiny, but he couldn’t help it – things were slowly becoming more about clothes and being cool than their beloved He-Man. No matter how hard Clay tried to hold onto their favorite things as a kid, Tony was always trying to push him forward – making sure to include him in all things “growing up”. Tony stepped behind him, his brown eyes meeting Clay’s blue in the mirror. Even though he hated having to dress up and find “his look” he didn’t mind that he got to spend extra time with Tony to do it. “It matters because tomorrow is our first day of 7th grade. Tomorrow, we start our journey towards freedom. We get lockers and free periods. Just think about it, Clay – we’re growing up. Don’t you want to look good doing it?” 

Tony grinned then, his hands moving to pull at the back of the shirt’s collar. “Take this off – I’ve got a better idea.” Tony turned as he spoke, his now shorter legs carrying him over to the closet. Clay knew there wasn’t much in there in terms of variety. Besides the shirts with cartoons all over them, Clay owned solid t-shirts and hoodies. As he’d gotten older, the need to blend into the background became more prominent, his tame wardrobe something done on purpose. After a second of being lost in his own thoughts, Clay looked up, watching as Tony approached him from the closet again. He held up his hands, a hoodie within his grasp. “We’ll compromise. Wear this one, since it has more color, and those jeans and shirt you’ve got on now. That way, you’re comfortable, but you’re a bit more epic than a plain hoodie would’ve been. Deal?” Tony shook the shirt at him, throwing it his way when Clay grinned and nodded his affirmative. “I like the way you think, Tony. This- this is why we’re friends,” Clay mumbled, hands making quick work of pulling the hoodie over his shoulders. Zipping the front, the boy nodded at himself in the mirror. With his favorite checkered Vans, this outfit wouldn’t look so bad. 

“Okay, okay – you’re right, this does look good. I’m going to look good and not feel terrible while doing it. You’re the best, Tony,” Clay babbled, his eyes catching his own smile in the mirror. That looked pretty good on him, too. While staring at himself, Clay saw a different kind of smile wash over Tony’s face. They’d been friends for a long time, practically grown up together since meeting as young kids – yet, Clay had never seen a look like this before. His brown eyes softened, like they were the melting chocolate of the S’mores they’d gorged themselves with all summer. His smile was light, wide in a way that didn’t quite reach his ears but crinkled his eyes none the less. Clay didn’t know what it meant, but his stomach flipped all the same. It’d been doing that a lot over the summer, flipping whenever Tony would look at him for too long, or they’d bump into each other running from the back porch to the pool. Tony was his best friend – he chalked it up to being so close to another person. 

Another moment passed before Tony shook himself, the look dropping into something a little more neutral. Clay kept his eyes on the other until his shorter friend moved out of view from the mirror. Stepping back, Clay pulled the hoodie from his shoulders, his eyes roaming over the piles he’d have to put away until he found his clothes from earlier. He quickly scooped them up, turning towards Tony once more. “I’m going to get changed, will you put Kingdom Hearts on the PlayStation?” Clay asked, his feet carrying him out the door without waiting for an answer. They’d done this so many times over the years – a sleepover the night before the first day of school. They’d cling to the last little bit of summer by their fingernails, both boys staying up all night just to give school the middle finger. 

Clay wandered back into his room a few minutes later, the next day’s outfit over one arm and a two liter of Mountain Dew in the other. “I’ve come equipped with the elixir of the God’s, and I’m ready to kick your butt!” Clay exclaimed, walking into the room with a huge smile on his face. He moved about for another minute or two, getting everything situated, before plopping down into his gaming chair, his arm brushing against Tony’s as he did so. A soft sigh had him looking up, the lack of gaming music in the background suddenly becoming apparent in the silence of the room. The boy looked curiously at Tony, his friend sitting on his feet in the chair, a thumb in his mouth – teeth worrying the skin there. “What’s up, man? Do you want to play something different?” Clay asked, feeling stupid as the question left his mouth. 

Tony chuckled, a light sound coming from his throat – light in a way that reminded Clay that the other wasn’t laughing at him. Brown eyes turned on him then, the shorter guy rearranging himself onto the chair, hand dropping from his mouth. Tony took a deep breath, like he did when he told Clay their mutual hamster died, or the time his parents signed him up for summer camp. He held his breath, waiting for Tony to get out whatever it was he needed to. The quicker they got passed Tony’s news, the quicker their night could begin. 

Clay was about to ask again when Tony started speaking, his hand shooting out to grab at the control in front of him – his hands never able to be idle. “Do you remember last year, when we played spin the bottle? All the guys were so excited to be kissing the girls. It was supposed to be the most exhilarating experience – but I was just kind of… uncomfortable. As we played, all I could think about was the fact that I didn’t want to kiss any of the girls sitting with us. Even though Hannah was there, and we both think her curly hair is so pretty.” The other stopped then, his thumb coming back up to his mouth – teeth picking at skin that wasn’t even there anymore. “I didn’t want to kiss any of the girls, because I thought kissing the boys would be more fun.” 

The words were rushed out of the other’s mouth, Clay thankful he was paying close attention. He tilted his head, looking at Tony for a moment. His friend looked scared, more terrified than Clay could remember seeing him – and they’d known each other for a long time. There was a guard to his brown eyes, like they would get when Tony was around his parents, or people he didn’t know. Clay hated the fact that he even had to have that look directed at him and shrugged his shoulders to rid himself of the feeling. Tony spoke again before Clay could ask questions or answer the other. “I think… I think I like boys, Clay – “ Tony finally got out, melted chocolate eyes looking everywhere but at him. 

The taller kid took a second to absorb what Tony said before shrugging his shoulders again, Clay could understand the feeling. It was so weird trying to spend time with a girl, but never in his time with Tony did he ever feel that uncomfortable. Maybe he liked boys, too – but now wasn’t the time to think or say anything like that. Instead, Clay reached across the space between them, his hand closing into a fist against Tony’s shoulder. “That’s okay, man. Girls are pretty weird,” he said with finality, shooting Tony a grin before reaching to grab his own controller. A long arm pressed the power button on the gaming system, bringing an end to the conversation. 

“Ready to get your ass kicked?” 

From that night on, Clay paid a little more attention to himself and how he reacted to both boys and girls. And yes, he had to admit that he spent a little more time staring at Tony, too. Ever since their conversation, Clay noticed his friend’s face morphing into that soft look he encountered in the mirror and wondered what it meant. If Tony liked boys, did that mean he liked Clay? A huge part of him thought that if Tony did like him that way – well, it didn’t sound like too bad of a thing. 

iii. 

The third time Tony changes Clay’s life, they’re sophomores in high school. Over the years, Clay didn’t change his style much. His hair grew out a little longer, and his Van choice became tamer – but he liked to think not much had changed. Being Tony’s best friend, he liked to think the same could be said for him. They’d traded He-Man and Skeletor for pottery and cars respectively, yet their friendship was as tight as ever. Tony started to wear a leather jacket everywhere they went during their first year in high school, and his combat boots were a little more unruly – but Clay could still recognize his six-year-old friend, so everything was okay. 

Everything except for the fact that Clay had a monster crush on his best friend – said best friend that was dating someone else. Ever since their conversation all those years ago, Tony had been open to everyone about his preferences. It was like he was waiting to gain Clay’s approval before acting on whatever he was feeling. From that point on, Tony embraced what liking boys and being different was like in that aspect. Clay couldn’t help but feel proud of his best friend and stood by him every step of the way. Until, of course – someone else came into the picture. Alex was a year older than Tony, someone that idolized Tony’s car obsession and leather jacket. Despite Clay complimenting him frequently about it, he might add. Alex moved into Tony’s life like a shooting star, fast and bright – seemingly out of nowhere. 

It wasn’t like things really changed between him and Tony when he started dating Alex. They still had their game nights and mornings in the car on the way to school – but Tony was slowly but surely starting to spend more and more time with his boyfriend. Understandably so, Clay thought – no matter how much he wanted to keep Tony to himself. 

No, Clay’s biggest struggle was the incredible jealousy he felt whenever Alex was around them. For the longest time, he figured it was because the other boy was encroaching on his time with his best friend. Yet, the more time passed, the more Clay realized that he was jealous of who Alex was to Tony. Tony was his best friend - someone he knew pretty much everything about. Except he didn’t know what Tony looked like when he was about to kiss someone, or how his face would look after he pulled away from said kiss. Increasingly, Clay found himself wondering what that would look like, and more importantly, what that would feel like to see when he pulled away from Tony. 

Yes, after years of coming to understand himself, Clay could finally admit that he liked Tony – well, more than liked him, but LOVE was a strange and scary thing. He always knew Tony was something special. From the second they started to talk about He-Man, Clay knew Tony was one of the best people he’d ever know. Throughout their friendship, that feeling only grew – slowly morphing itself into the fond affection he felt for the other boy. This affection ran so deeply and was engrained within him that he needed to be sure of his feelings before saying or doing anything about them. Too bad it took Tony finally getting a steady boyfriend to make up his mind. More than anything, though, Clay wanted to see Tony happy – so he kept his feelings to himself and went with the flow of having a new person in their group. 

A couple months into Tony and Alex’s relationship, Clay went looking for his buddy. They were supposed to meet up to finish their French project, but Tony was late – something that was very unusual for the other boy. Tony did everything early, just to make sure he always had a little extra time to chill before things started. With that in mind, he left the library, heading out to the parking lot to see if the red Mustang was in the parking lot. Upon seeing it, Clay got a little suspicious, his legs carrying him towards the car before he could stop himself. By the time he realized what was happening in the car, Clay was too late to turn around. Alex and Tony were fused by the lips, Tony’s eyes closed and cheeks the slightest bit red. For a second, Clay couldn’t stop himself from staring, eyes transfixed on Tony’s beauty – even in this the kid was fucking gorgeous. Before he could stop himself, a pale arm was reaching out, tapping on the window. Clay would later curse himself for the movement, knowing he was totally breaking the bro-code. 

The two detached, Tony turning towards the window at the sound, the redness in his cheeks getting deeper when he finally saw Clay. His tanned friend was quick to move towards the window, cranking it down with a few moves of his arm. “Fuck, Clay – I was supposed to meet you. I’m sorry, man. Got a little… sidetracked,” he got out, his cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red despite the proud tone in his voice. “Give me a minute – “ Tony started, but Clay didn’t hear it, his body already turning back towards the school. For whatever reason, he needed to get out of their as soon as he possibly could. Tears were pooling in his eyes, so strongly that he couldn’t stop the two rebellious ones from streaming down his cheeks. He was suddenly glad his legs were long and could get him places fast, because he needed to be anywhere but there. 

Despite his long strides, Tony caught up with him quickly, his friend shouting at his back – asking him to slow down and talk to him. Clay shook his head, not really understanding what was happening to himself. He reached up to swipe harshly at the tears on his cheeks, taking a deep breath before turning to face the other. Tony stopped, leaving space between them – brown and blue locking together, each looking at the other curiously. “What the fuck, man? Are you okay? I’ve never seen you stalk off like that,” Tony started, his hand coming up to brush through his hair – a nervous habit he’d kept around since they were kids. “Are you okay?” he repeated, taking a step to narrow the space the between them. 

Not knowing what to say, Clay let both his arms wrap around his middle, the boy trying his best to keep himself protected. For whatever reason, he was angry – and he didn’t know what to say or how to explain it. He needed to scream and shout, he wanted to take this unexplained anger out on something – but couldn’t. Tony didn’t deserve a crazy overreaction. The truth would do. It always did between the two of them. 

“I think I hate the fact that you’re dating Alex. I get this bubbling feeling in my stomach, like I just want to pull him off you any time he’s near. I don’t really understand what’s going on, but when I saw you two kissing like that – I wanted to pull you apart and growl in his face.” Clay’s words were spoken fast, his face heating up as each of them left his mouth. “It’s stupid and selfish, because he’s your boyfriend – I know he’s your boyfriend,” Clay repeated, grimacing at the way the word made him feel. 

Before he knew what was happening, Tony had closed the distance between them, his short arms grabbing the front of Clay’s collar. “I think you’re jealous. I think you want me all to yourself. I think that you’ve been trying to decide what to do about the way you feel. I think, no – I know – that you want to kiss me right now. I can see it in your eyes.” Tony spoke everything calmly, his hands a stark contrast to his tone of voice. Clay couldn’t deny any of those things, so he nodded his head, mouth completely dry from his slack jaw expression. “I think I might want to kiss you, too. I think I’ve wanted to kiss you since we were younger, and I realized what the warm feeling in my stomach meant when I looked at you.” Clay sucked in a breath at the other’s words, his eyes welling with unshed tears again, the blue color filled with so much depth – the boy lost to what he was hearing. “It’s about time you finally figured your shit out,” Tony mumbled, his face closing the distance between them until their lips were pressed together. 

Something exploded in Clay in that moment. His hands, which were once at his sides, reached up – fingers sliding into the raspberry scented hair. He let out an unintelligible sound as he opened his mouth, Clay letting himself go completely into the kiss. They stayed that way for some minutes, oxygen levels fleeting, yet neither caring – they were finally where they belonged. When they couldn’t put off creating space between them, Clay kept his hand on Tony’s head, not allowing for too much distance. His nose moved to pass along the shorter boys, his breath ghosting over tanned skin. “Sorry it took me so long.” 

From that moment on, Clay and Tony were inseparable in a different way. Thought it took them a few weeks after Tony broke up with Alex to officially get together, both boys knew that’s where their future was heading. When they finally got together, no one was surprised. Tony’s mom sat him down at the table the same way she always did, putting too much food in front of him, calling him son and embracing him like one of the family. Now, though, she would kiss his forehead and say thank you for making her son happy. This new addition to their routine something Clay didn’t think he’d ever mind. 

iv. 

The fourth time Tony changes Clay’s life, they are seniors in high school, about to graduate and walk forward into the rest of their lives. Over the past two years, Clay and Tony fostered their relationship in the best of ways. Upon getting together, the two worked hard to be whatever the other needed – a feat that was easier said than done when dating their best friend. Tony slowly started to make a name for himself in the car world – his inability to have idle hands coming in handy when it came to being a mechanic. His boyfriend made pretty good commission working on vintage cars, his precious Mustang a key in the door with the local collectors. As Tony nourished his craft, so did Clay. Despite being called a girl more times than not, Clay let himself get lost in the art of pottery. Throwing the clay gave him a sense of peace he couldn’t find anywhere else. There was something about using his hands to create art that made him so very happy. His enjoyment of the craft quickly melded into skill, a skill that was getting him a free ride to an art institute in Denver Colorado. 

Though he was over the moon about getting into the school of his dreams, Clay still felt an immense amount of apprehension. He didn’t have the heart to force Tony to move away from the one place that he’d always known and loved. All of Tony’s family resided in their sleepy little town and his dad’s garage was his main source of work. Clay smiled fondly at all the times they spent in that very garage together over the years. Desperately, Clay wanted Tony with him during this next step of his life – but he couldn’t bring himself to ask the other. 

With all secrets and miscommunicated things, Clay’s feelings got in the way of their time together. Instead of the usual ease between them, a tension started to rise. Clay forcing himself to keep his mouth shut, and Tony seemingly waiting for the other shoe to drop. They loved each other, so their time spent together was always amazing – it was simply jaded with unspoken words and apprehension of what was coming next. 

Too quickly, the last couple of weeks before Clay needed to make the move to Denver were upon them. His parents were excitedly making plans for visits – the thought of learning to ski something neither could pass up. Clay wanted to share in their excitement but couldn’t – a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach slowly eating him alive instead. He still hadn’t talked to Tony about their next move and his room and board fee was overdue – the last notice stashed with the others in the “school” folder in his backpack. Putting it off wasn’t going to stop the time from coming. Eventually, he needed to make his way to Denver – the next chapter in his life would start whether he liked it or not. Even knowing that, Clay couldn’t bring himself to broach the topic. 

One evening, parked in their most favorite secluded spot, Tony and Clay were sharing a heated make-out session. Clay was trying to crawl into Tony’s skin, his fingers desperate and rough. They’d spent their fair share of passionate nights together in this very spot, yet this felt different – the touch bordering on desperation instead of lust. Tony let Clay ravage his lips for another couple of minutes before pulling away – both hands coming up to cup Clay’s cheeks. “Slow down, baby. We’ve got all the time in the world,” the shorter man whispered, his lips brushing ever so lightly against Clay’s. The whispered words would normally be reassuring, but Clay couldn’t bring himself to brighten up, his lips pressing forward aggressively again – every fiber in his body on fire with the need to claim, to absorb as much of the other as he could. 

His boyfriend made a disgruntled noise, pulling back again. His eyes were a little sharper this time, body suddenly tense. “Tell me what’s wrong, Clay. This isn’t you – you haven’t been you for a while now…” Tony trailed off then, his own sense of confidence diminished in that moment, just like Clay’s. Seeing his feelings reflected back at him, Clay sighed deeply. He wet his lips, giving himself another couple of seconds to think. “I’m afraid. What happens next, Tony?” Finally, he thought – finally he’d get some answers. 

Tony looked at him, eyes boring into his own – like they were trying to see into his soul. Tan hands relaxed a fraction, though his look was still guarded. “What do you want to happen, Clay? You haven’t asked me to go with you, you know. You haven’t even mentioned Denver.” Tony’s words were steely, a not so subtle reminder that Clay’s anxieties were the only thing standing in his way. This was his best friend – the person he’d shared everything with most of his life. Why would a thing like this be any different? Why, after so much trial and tribulation figured out together, did he clam up? This was the most important decision of his life – and he admittedly didn’t want Tony to tell him anything other than what he wanted to hear. So, he didn’t ask

Shaking his head, Clay closed the space between them again – this time, slotting their lips together lightly. He let long fingers brush Tony’s forehead, the slight curl there tickling his skin. “I haven’t asked because I didn’t want to think about what being there without you would be like. I don’t want to pressure you into moving your entire life elsewhere just because I am. But fuck, I want you there with me.” 

Clay stopped then, his fingers still moving – the pattern slow, despite the restlessness surging through him. “I want you to come with me, Tony,” he repeated, blue eyes open and honest for the first time since getting his acceptance letter. 

“My future is with you, Clay. The only thing I would be giving up is you if I didn’t start this journey with you. I’ve been talking to a few of my dad’s friends and they know of some shop space in Denver I could work at. They might even put me through technical school if I’m good enough. You haven’t asked me, but I couldn’t let this opportunity to start something new with you slip through my fingers. I’m not giving you up – you’re my best fucking friend and we belong together.” They kissed, Tony pulling away after a moment.

“Even if you are an asshole for keeping the biggest decision of our lives to yourself until right now…” he trailed off, a chuckle leaving Clay’s lips before he could stop it. 

“I’m sorry I took so long, Tony.” 

Two weeks later, Tony pulled his red Mustang up to The Jensen’s curb – his meager belongings taking up only half of his trunk. Clay was already standing there, waiting for Tony to get there. They quickly loaded up his things into the remaining space of the Mustang, Tony grumbling about all the stuff while Clay watched his boyfriend expertly arrange it. Once he felt settled, Tony grabbed Clay’s hand, kissing the back of it. “Ready for forever?” 

A face splitting grin slipped across Clay’s cheeks – the premise of forever one of the best gifts he could ever get. 

“Yeah, Tony – I’m ready,” he finally replied, squeezing the other’s hand before dropping it and walking to his side of the car. As the hopped in, Clay’s parents came to the window, both waving dramatically – as if they would never see either of them again. They both waved back, Clay shaking his head sarcastically. Pulling away from the curb, Tony looked over at Clay – holding his hand out. Clay quickly took it, slipping their fingers together tightly. They had no idea what was coming next, but they were together, and that’s all that mattered. 

v. 

Since pulling away from his parent’s house, Clay and Tony built their life together. Clay flourished in college, finding a home with his peers and in the pottery community. Upon graduating, he joined a fellow classmate and opened their own throwing space. With several kilns and turntables, Clay was able to work in chunks of time, spending Tony’s working hours in his studio with plenty of time to spend with his significant other. While Clay worked in his studio, Tony quickly made his way up the ranks of the car world. Starting from the ground floor, Tony worked himself into a technical degree, then an associate position until he was finally able to open his own shop. There, he took care of vintage vehicles, 18-wheeler rigs, and motorcycles. He had lots of room to do what he wanted, when he wanted to do it. Taking that step together all that time ago was the best thing either of them could’ve done. They got to be themselves while growing together. Eight years later and they were still happier than can be. 

Throughout their growth, Clay and Tony learned several things about the other. Clay understood that Tony wasn’t a morning person and needed at least two cups of coffee before being able to function in the morning. Tony quickly learned that Clay needed to blow up when he was angry – he needed to express the feeling before feeling better. He learned to give his boyfriend space when times like that were upon them. Together, they learned how to cook without burning their house down and how to make a night on the couch the most fun they could have together. Most importantly, the figured out that they were the perfect team. 

Which is why, after eight years of being together, Clay and Tony were changing their life together – hand in hand like they’d done for so many years now. In less than two hours, they’d be walking out of the hospital with a brand-new baby boy. A son they’d been planning for the past two years – after a night of drinking with Hannah and Jeff, both Tony and Clay totally enamored with their beautiful daughter. Before they left, Hannah pulled Clay to the side, a radiant smile on her face. “You two would make great parents,” she said softly, elbowing him in the side. “Just something to think about,” she finished, moving to her tiptoes to press a sweet kiss against Clay’s cheek. 

After telling Tony about it, neither man could get it off their mind. Clay would catch his fiancé watching little kids on the street, a stupid smile on his face. Many times, they’d start to talk about baby names, neither noticing until they were sitting pen in hand at their kitchen table – elbows deep in the process. When they finally sat down and had the conversation, there was no doubt in either of their minds that this was the right thing for them. Clay remembered every second of the process, the same way he could recall Tony getting down on one knee, asking him to marry him less than a year before. They were taking steps into making their life together permanent, and the addition of someone new made the prospect of that permanence even sweeter. 

When the phone finally rang, Clay turned to Tony – a look of apprehension and anxiety washing over his face. Tony merely smiled, using both hands to pull him close. “It’s time, Corazon. We’re going to be a family, baby – we’re finally bringing him home,” Tony whispered, his voice filled with marvel and excitement. Hearing that, knowing how his other half felt, Clay let go of all the anxiety he’d been feeling. They waited so long for this moment, both of them preparing themselves to be fathers, to raise a child together. Other than meeting their child, Clay couldn’t wait to co-parent with the man next to him. This next adventure was going to be there greatest yet. 

A few hours later, a soft blue bundle sat in the crook of Clay’s arm, a beautiful boy beaming a gummy smile up at them. Without thought, Clay let his arm tighten a little, a feeling of protectiveness washing over him. Their son was currently gripping Tony’s finger tight, all five of his little digits barely encircling the other’s thumb. A dopey grin sat on plump lips, Clay knowing this was one of their happiest moments. As the baby babbled, Clay and Tony looked at each other – unshed tears pooling in both their eyes. Their whole world was wrapped in a blanket, snuggled into the depths of Clay’s arms. Yes, things were going to change, but Clay couldn’t think of a better person to be doing this with. 

Clay pressed their lips together after a moment, the two nuzzling noses before pulling away. With a soft sigh, Clay gently moved their son until he was between them. A palm cupped the infants head as both parents stared at him, mega-watt smiles unmistakable on their cheeks. 

“Atlas Jensen-Padilla, you’re the most loved kid on this planet,” Tony mumbled, reaching forward to kiss the fingers still wrapped around his own. 

“We’re dads, Clay – I’m a daddy,” the other said softly, awe and sticky sweet happiness dripping from his voice. They looked at each other again, unable to stop themselves. Like pulling away to start their journey all that time ago, Clay couldn’t contain his excitement.

They were finally a family.

**Author's Note:**

> If I ever have children, my first born will be cursed with the name Atlas. I absolutely love all the different ways the name can be interpreted and thought it was appropriate for these two and their little spawn. I enjoyed this one way too much. Writing He-Man obsessed Clay was my absolute favorite. If you guys have any five times situations you'd like to see in this verse, please let me know!


End file.
